Electric rail.



PATENTBD NOV. 21, 1905 L. STEINBERGER.

' ELECTRIC RAIL.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 3. 1905.

9 N llln'numnlnnhu l ll INVENTOR ATTORNEYS PATENT OFFICE.

LOUIS STEINBERGER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

ELECTRIC RAIL- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 21, 1905.

Application filed January 3, 1905. Serial No. 239,354.

To a whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LOUIS STEINBERGER, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of New York, borough of Brooklyn,. 'in the county of Kings and State of New York,

'providethorough insulation between the rail and its support; fourth, to render the different parts of the support detachable, so that the same may be readily taken asunder without causing much interruption in traffic; fifth, to concentrate the heat as nearly as possible to the contact-surface of the rail; sixth, to

confine and retain the heat near the contact-' surface and prevent absorption of the heat by the body portion of the rail or, the rail-supports, and, seventh, to provide an inclosed chamber within the rail, so as to prevent the radiation of heat in any direction except toward the contact-surface of the rail.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification,

in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in both the figures.

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing a rail equipped with my invention and properly mounted ready for use, and Fig. 2 is a vertical section through the same.

Mounted upon the cross-ties 3 are bed-plates 1, secured thereto by means of bolts 5 and provided with a vertical web 6, having ribs 7 for bracing the same, the ribs, web, and bedplate being preferably integral with each other. The supporting member 8 is provided with depending webs 9, parallel with each other, thus forming a slot 10, having substantially the form of a vertical plane and adapted to fit neatly upon the vertical Web 6. Extending through the webs 6 and 9 is a bolt 9, provided with a head 9 and a threaded portion 9, the latter being engaged by a threaded nut 9, so as to prevent the Webs 9 from moving relatively to the Web 6. Integrally mounted upon the supporting member 8 and projecting upwardly therefrom are flanges 11. Immediately outside of these flanges are inclined portions 12, of insulating material, connected by a substantially horizontal portion 12 with the downwardly-inclined trough-like member 12 provided with a flat bottom 12, the portions 12, 12, 12 and 12 being preferably integral with each other.

The rail is shown at 13 and is provided with downwardly projecting flanges 14 integral therewith, these flanges being preferably thinner at the bottom than at the top, as shown. The rail 13 is provided with a central depending web 17 for supporting the heating-coils 16, these coils being preferably mounted in bushings 15, of insulating material. I do not limit myself, however, to any particular manner of supporting the coils. They may be energized in any desired manner.

My invention is used as follows: The parts being mounted in the position indicated, the supporting member 8 is free to move slightly to compensate for expansion and contraction of the metallic parts. The supporting member 8, being merely fitted upon the web 6, may be readily lifted therefrom in order to remove the rail by first removing the bolt 9. The heating-coils 16 keep the air within the concavity 12 below the rail at a proper temperature to melt any ice or snow which may fall upon the upper surface of the rail. Owing to the position of the heating-coils 16 relatively to the track structure as a Whole, but little power will be needed in order to maintain the upper surface of the rail sufficiently warm to produce this result. In other words, it is not necessary to heat a considerable mass of metal in order to keep the snow and ice melted and to some extent to keep the water evaporated from the upper surfaceof the rail 13, because the heating-coils are in close proximity thereto. The rail 13 is detachable from the insulating member upon which it rests independently of Whether the heating-coils are in use or not.

I do not limit myself to the particular form of pedestal consisting of the bed-plate 4:, web 6, and ribs 7.' Neither do I limit myself to the construction shown for the supporting member 8, nor to the use of the pedestal and supporting member, for the reason that 1 may support the insulating member and the rail member in other ways. Neither do I limit myself to the shape shown for the insulating member, nor to the particular type of rail exhibited, nor to any particular type of heating mechanism, nor to any particular method of mounting the same. All of these parts may be varied within reasonablelimits without departing from the spirit of my invention. Neither do I limit myself to the use of the bolt 9, as the same is detachable and may be omitted, if desired.

Having thus described my invention, Iclaim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. An electric rail comprising a supporting member provided with upwardly-projecting flanges, a rail member provided with downwardly-projecting flanges and disposed adjacent to said supporting member, means for insulating said rail member, and a heating-coil disposed intermediate of said rail member and said supporting member.

2. An electric rail comprising a supporting member provided with a slot, a pedestal provided With a portion for engaging said slot, a rail disposed adjacent to said supporting member and insulated therefrom, and electric mechanism for heating said rail member.

3. An electric rail comprising a supporting member provided with upwardly-projecting flanges and with a bottom portion, these parts being of proper conformity to constitute a trough, a member of insulating material engaging said flanges and said bottom portion, a rail member resting upon the upper surface of said insulating member, and heating-coils connected with said rail member and disposed intermediate of the same and said supporting member.

1. An electric rail comprising a supporting member having an upper surface of substantially trough-like conformity, a rail member having substantially the form of an inverted trough covering said supporting member, insulating material engaging said supporting member and said rail member for the purpose of insulating these parts from each other, and heating mechanism disposed intermediate of said supporting member and said rail member.

5. An electric rail comprising a bed-plate provided with an upwardly-projecting web, a supporting member provided with a slot engaging said Web, said supporting member also being provided with a trough-like portion, a rail member provided with downwardly-projecting flanges and placed over said supporting member, means for insulating said rail member from said supporting member, and mechanism for heating said rail member.

6. An electric rail comprising a supporting member having a trough-like portion, a rail member disposed adjacent to said trough-like portion and provided with depending flanges substantially parallel with portions of said supporting member, a member of insulating material disposed intermediate of said supporting memberand said rail member, said member of insulating material having a portion of trough-like conformity, and heating mechanism disposed Within said portion of trough-like conformity.

7. In an electric rail, the combination of a rail member provided with a portion upon which the same may rest, and also provided with a depending web for supporting a heating appliance.

8. In an electric rail, a rail member pro vided with a central Web for supporting a member for the purpose of heating the rail, said rail member being further provided with depending portions disposed upon opposite sides of said central Web.

9. In an electric rail, a rail member provided with a depending Web integral therewith for the purpose of forming an electric connection between the same and a heatingcoil, an insulating member upon which said rail rests, and means for supporting said insulating member.

10. An electric rail, comprising a contact member, means for heating the same, insulating material engaging said contact member, a body portion connected With said insulating material, and means for supporting said rail.

11. An electric rail, comprising a supporting member, a rail member, means for insulating said rail member, and means, disposed intermediate of said members, for heating said rail member.

12. An electric rail, comprising a hollow supporting member, a rail member, means for insulating said rail member from said hollow supporting member, and means disposed intermediate of said members for heating said rail member.

13. An electric rail, comprising a supporting member, a hollow rail member, means for insulating said rail member from said supporting member, and means disposed intermediate of said members for heating said hollow rail member.

14. An electric rail, comprising a supporting member, a rail member, means for insulating said supporting member from said rail member, and means disposed intermediate of said members for heating said rail member.

15. An electric rail, comprising a pedestal, a supporting member engaging the same, an insulating member engaging said supporting member, a rail member engaging said insulating member and thereby insulated from said supporting member, and means for heating said rail member.

16. An electric rail, comprising a supporting member, a rail member, means for insulating said rail member from said supporting member, and means connected to said rail member for heating the same.

17 In an electric rail, the combination of a rail member, a hollow support for the same, an insulating member separating said rail pliance, an insulating member engaging said rail member, and means for supporting both of sa1d members.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name I 5 to this specification in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

LOUIS STEIN BERGER.

Witnesses:

WALTON HARRISON, EVERARD BOLTON MARSHALL. 

